A
major reason damage occurs to body tissue is because too manyhighly reactive, oxidant ions/molecules
introduced into or being produced in the body have overwhelmed the body'santioxidant
presence -Uncontrolledfree radicals,
ROS(Reactive Oxygen Species),
RNS(Reactive Nitrogen Species)and other reactive speciesare
likely to take part in chemical reactions with your body's proteins, lipids,
carbohydrates and DNA.

Energy-producing
oxidative metabolism produces ROS -
Oxidativemetabolism is part of the design to extract energy by
controlled oxidation of substrates, at the same time preventing uncontrolledoxidative
damagevia
antioxidants –a
good analogy is “To use fire for warmth, but not to get burnt”.

Cholesterol produced by
the body or consumed in food is oxidized in the body - in its
antioxidant role when it comes into contact
with free radicals. (lipid peroxidation
induced by ROS/RNS seems to be involved not
only in cardiovascular disease, but also in cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and
other degenerative health problems, including accelerated aging).

OxidizedPolyunsaturated,Omega-6andOmega-3Fats

These essential fats
are easily oxidized by ROS and RNS:

– In food before consumption -E.g. during the usual high-temperature commercial process of
extracting vegetable oils from seeds, or in high-temperature processed foods.
E.g. fried foods.Dietaryomega-3andomega-6fats are essential to well-being, but need to be consumed undamaged, in
balance, together with fat-protective antioxidants,such as vitamins A, D, E. and K;

– In the body after consumption – when
antioxidants are deficient; particularly
damaging to cell membranes;

Trans Fats

2005 study of 700 nurses - found that
those consuming the most trans fats had a significantly higher risk of
cardiovascular diseaseLink
to study

Histamine is produced as a result of
Erratic Stress –
Accumulating histamine leads to inflammation and plaque formation. (Bruce H.
Lipton's histamine theory is that erratic stress induces mast cells on blood
vessel endothelium to emit histamine, which causes cells to multiply).

Having a Type-A personality is linked
to an increased risk of CHD – characteristics include time urgency and
competitiveness.

Trauma / Infective Microbes

Physical damage or presence of
infectious agents, such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, initiates an
inflammatory process that leads to ROS production by phagocytes -E.g. infectious bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae
and the Herpes simplex virus have been
proposed as initial inflammatory infectious agents in atherosclerosis.

ROSare released in the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes -local “messenger”molecules released from
unsaturated fatty acids, produced in response to trauma.

Hyperglycemia induces an inflammatory
reaction in endothelial cells(lining interior surface of blood vessels),
which can cause an increase in the production ofROS (reactive oxidants, including free radicals)(Ceriello et al,
1996)

Hyperglycemia increases the formation of
oxidized
LDL - an important modulating factor in atherosclerosis and
cardiovasculardeath.

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